Tag Archive for ‘Papayas’

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Tropical Gardening – Vitamins abound

Published on January 16, 2012 in General Ag News and Notes.


Tropical Gardening — Vitamins abound
Sunday, January 15 2:10 am

Lucky we live Hawaii, but we can learn a lot from gardeners on other tropical islands. Right now, we are in the Dominican Republic working with farmers on a project sponsored by the Florida Association for Volunteer Action in the Caribbean and the Americas, or FAVACA.

Voltaire Moise, who is from Haiti, is working on the uses of edible crops while I work on some of the production problems. Like the folks in the Dominican Republic, we in Hawaii can grow almost anything. We have many climates, depending on elevation and whether you are on the rain-swept eastern side or the dryer leeward part of the island.

Below 2,000 feet we grow the tropicals and above we can grow the warm, temperate and even cool season crops. Tropical fruits are the favorite for most, since they are varied and unusual.

Many of these fruits are high in vitamins, minerals and energy.

So instead of popping vitamin pills every day, we should consider fruit. Those vitamin pills on your shelf, besides being pretty expensive items, are not nearly as palatable and eye appealing as fresh fruit — especially when it is grown in your own backyard. Continue reading ‘Tropical Gardening – Vitamins abound’

Japan approves genetically modified papayas

Published on September 2, 2011 in food safety, General Ag News and Notes and Papaya.


Japanese consumers will likely be seeing genetically modified papayas on their grocery shelves beginning in December.

The Japanese government’s Consumer Affairs Agency on Thursday approved rainbow papayas for sale in that country.

The papayas had previously been approved by Japan’s Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; and Health, Labour and Welfare ministries. The strain was approved for sale in the U.S. in 1998 and in Canada in 2003.

The Japanese labeling approval was the last step to get the papayas introduced into Japan — there will be a three-month waiting period before the papayas are available.

“The approval by the Japanese government has been slow but thorough,” Delan Perry, the vice president of the Hawaii Papaya Industry, said. “They asked a lot of questions.”

It’s a process that’s taken 10 years.

“It’s an important approval as far as the technology,” said Perry, who is a papaya grower in Kapoho.

The papayas were engineered to resist papaya ring spot virus, which was discovered in the Puna area in 1992 and severely damaged crops there.

To create the resistance to the virus, scientists fused the DNA of the virus into the genetic makeup of a papaya, creating a new strain.

Dennis Gonsalves, the director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service’s Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center in Hilo, said it’s similar to a vaccination in animals.

The rainbow’s introduction “controlled the virus in Hawaii,” Gonsalves said. “It essentially saved the industry in Hawaii.”

While Gonsalves — who worked with a group of fellow public sector scientists to create the genetically modified fruit — and others say the introduction of rainbow papayas was essential, some disagree. Continue reading ‘Japan approves genetically modified papayas’

Last JAL Kona-to-Tokyo flight lands on Big Island

Published on October 30, 2010 in General Ag News and Notes, Macadamia Nuts and Papaya.


KAILUA-KONA (AP) – After 14 years of serving the Big Island, financially strapped Japan Airlines has ended its flight between Tokyo and Kona International Airport.

Passengers arriving Friday on JAL Flight 70 from Narita International Airport were greeted with lei and live Hawaiian music, the Big Island Visitors Bureau said.

JAL offered the only direct international flight outside of North America to the Big Island, the bureau said. Since the inaugural Kona flight in June 1996, JAL has carried more than 980,000 visitors between Narita and Kona, it said.

”It is also a vital carrier of Big Island exports including macadamia nuts, papayas, coffee, spirulina, abalone and desalinated sea water to the Japanese market,” the bureau said in a news release.

”The JAL flight is without a doubt the most important international route for Hawaii island. The positive impact it has made on our economy for the last 14 years is highly significant, and we truly hope to welcome JAL back someday,” Continue reading ‘Last JAL Kona-to-Tokyo flight lands on Big Island’

Hawaii’s farm future: Fertile fields?

Published on September 26, 2010 in General Ag News and Notes and Sustainability.


Introduction

In 2008, a report from the University of Hawaii-Manoa and the state Department of Agriculture estimated that between 85 percent and 90 percent of the state’s food was imported every year and concluded that there wasn’t much anyone could do to change the situation.

” … Even though Hawaii can conceivably grow anything that we consume, the quest to achieve 100% food self-sufficiency is impractical, unattainable and perhaps impossible, as it imposes too high a cost for society,” the researchers said.

Hawaii’s relatively small farms could never match the output or efficiency of the vast mechanized farms on the mainland, the report said. Island products would always be more expensive to grow and buy.

Still, the report was more a call to arms than a dark prophecy.

Pointing out that Hawaii’s geographic isolation left its food supply vulnerable to disruptions caused by forces and events beyond control, such as fuel costs, shipping strikes and farm production fluctuations, the report said it was of vital importance that the state not overlook the value of a small but thriving home-grown market.

A healthy agricultural base not only serves as a buffer against outside forces, it provides residents with fresher, tastier, healthier food and could put millions of dollars back into the island economy, the report said.

“I think we are at the crossroads,” says Dr. Matthew Loke, administrator of the state’s Agricultural Development Division and a co-author of the 2008 report with Dr. PingSun Leung of UH-Manoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources. “Whether we can seize those opportunities or not, that’s our challenge.” Continue reading ‘Hawaii’s farm future: Fertile fields?’

Further study on irradiator ordered | The Honolulu Advertiser

Published on September 1, 2009 in General Ag News and Notes.

honadv

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has ruled that more work needs to be done on an environmental assessment for a produce irradiator that’s proposed for a location near Honolulu International Airport.

The commission’s Atomic Safety and Licensing Board issued a ruling last week saying the NRC staff needs to consider alternate technology and sites in producing the assessment. The board’s decision said it expects the staff to give meaningful consideration to transportation accidents in preparing a final environmental assessment.

The ruling came after almost three years of discussion at the NRC, which has been considering Pa’ina Hawaii LLC’s request to build an irradiator that would use up to a million curries of cobalt-60 to treat local fruits such as papayas, vegetables and other items so they can be shipped to the Mainland insect-free.

Continue reading ‘Further study on irradiator ordered | The Honolulu Advertiser’

Fruit Fly Quarantine Near to Area ChinoHills.com

Published on August 21, 2009 in General Ag News and Notes.

The Oriental Fruit Fly

The adult Oriental fruit fly is somewhat larger than a housefly, about 8 mm in length. The body color is variable but generally bright yellow with a dark "T" shaped marking on the abdomen. The wings are clear. The female has a pointed slender ovipositor to deposit eggs under the skin of host fruit. Eggs are minute cylinders laid in batches. The maggots (larvae) are creamy-white, legless, and may attain a length of 10 mm inside host fruit.

The Oriental fruit fly has been established in Hawaii since 1946 where it is a major pest of agriculture, particularly on mangoes, avocados and papayas. Maggots have been found in over 125 kinds of fruit and vegetables in Hawaii alone. A great number of crops in California are threatened by the introduction of this pest, including pears, plums, cherries, peaches, apricots, figs, citrus, tomatoes and avocados. It has been estimated that the cost of not eradicating Oriental fruit fly in California would range from $44 to $176 million in crop losses, additional pesticide use, and quarantine requirements.

Females lay eggs in groups of three to 30 under the skin of host fruits; the female can lay more than 1,000 eggs in her lifetime. Maggots tunnel through the fruit feeding on the pulp, shed their skins twice, and emerge through exit holes in approximately 10 days.

The larvae drop from the fruit and burrow two three cm into the soil to pupate. In 10 to 12 days, adults emerge from these puparia. The newly emerged adult females need eight to 12 days to mature sexually prior to egg laying. Breeding is continuous, with several annual generations. Adults live 90 days on the average and feed on honeydew, decaying fruit, plant nectar, bird dung and other substances. The adult is a strong flyer, recorded to travel 30 miles in search of food and sites to lay eggs. This ability allows the fly to infest new areas very quickly.

In excess of 230 fruits and vegetables have been attacked. Fruit that has been attacked may be unfit to eat as larvae tunnel through the flesh as they feed. Decay organisms enter, leaving the interior of the fruit a rotten mass.

Continue reading ‘Fruit Fly Quarantine Near to Area ChinoHills.com’

Hawaii Papayas Report 08-13-09

Published on August 13, 2009 in General Ag News and Notes and Papaya.

Click Here for the PDF and file for the Hawaii Papayas Report.
Please visit the website for more information: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/
————————————————————-
Contact Information:
Mark E. Hudson, Director
USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
Office: (808) 973-9588 / (800) 804-9514
Fax: (808) 973-2909
————————————————————-
"HAWAII PAPAYAS" reports are available on our website and also PRINTED monthly. Subscriptions for PRINTED copies are free to those persons who report agricultural data to NASS (upon request) and available for $4 per year to all others

 

FRESH PAPAYAS HIGHER FOR JUNE BUT LOWER FOR 1ST HALF OF 2009

Hawaii fresh papaya utilization is estimated at 2.6 million pounds for June 2009, down 1 percent from May 2009, but up 10 percent from June 2008. Fresh utilization for January to June of 2009 is 8 percent lower than the same period in 2008.

Total in crop acreage for June is estimated at 2,075, down 11 percent from March 2009, but 2 percent above June a year ago. Harvested area totaled 1,315 acres in June, 11 percent less than March 2009, but unchanged from last year.

Sunny weather and higher temperatures prevailed during June, aiding fruit development and ripening. Field preparation for new plantings was ongoing. Trade wind showers helped replenish soil moisture levels. Irrigation was stepped up in the drier areas. Orchards were in good to fair condition during the month.

Papaya growers are expected to receive an estimated 44.0 cents per pound for fresh fruit in June, unchanged from last month, but 11 percent (5.2 cents) lower than June a year ago.

Sustainably Engineered Organic

Published on July 30, 2009 in Sustainability.

There is a place for GMO. Check out this article from the “Wired Blog.” It makes a very lucid argument for the necessity of genetically engineered crops in sustainable agriculture. 

Sustainably Engineered Organic

  • By Bruce Sterling
  • July 30, 2009  

…checklist for truly sustainable agriculture in a global context. It must:

Provide abundant safe and nutritious food…. Reduce environmentally harmful inputs…. Reduce energy use and greenhouse gases…. Foster soil fertility…. Enhance crop genetic diversity…. Maintain the economic viability of farming communities…. Protect biodiversity…. and improve the lives of the poor and malnourished. (He pointed out that 24,000 a day die of malnutrition worldwide, and about 1 billion are undernourished.)

…But organic has limitations, he said. There are some pests, diseases, and stresses it can’t handle. Its yield ranges from 45% to 97% of conventional ag yield. It is often too expensive for low-income customers. At present it is a niche player in US agriculture, representing only 3.5%, with a slow growth rate suggesting it will always be a niche player.

Genetically engineered crops could carry organic farming much further toward fulfilling all the goals of sustainable agriculture, Raoul said, but it was prohibited as a technique for organic farmers in the standards and regulations set by the federal government in 2000.

Continue reading ‘Sustainably Engineered Organic’

Hawaii Crop Weather Weekly Report

Published on February 4, 2008 in Banana, Coffee, General Ag News and Notes, Papaya and Vegtables.

Here is the PDF file for the Hawaii Crop Weather (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending February 3, 2008.

current_hi020508.pdf

Please visit the website for more information: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/

USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514 February 3, 2008

“HAWAII CROP WEATHER” reports are available on our website and also PRINTED weekly. Subscriptions for PRINTED copies are free to those persons who report agricultural data to NASS, upon request and available for $20 per year to all others.

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
On the Big Island, mostly cloudy and rain-filled days slowed growth and fruit development during the week. The reduced sunlight also kept temperatures on the cool side. Incidences of Banana Bunchy Top virus remain isolated in the Puna and Kona areas. Overall, orchards in eastern sections of Hawaii County were in generally good condition. Oahu?s banana orchards were in fair condition. Fields in the leeward and central areas of Oahu made fair to good progress. Windward Oahu fields were in fair condition as cloudy conditions and cooler temperatures continued to slow crop progress and reduce yields. Kauai?s orchards were in fair condition. Harvesting was anticipated to remain steady during the coming weeks. Stripped leaves, as well as cooler temperatures and overcast skies, continued to slow crop development and fruit ripening.

Papayas
Cool, wet conditions slowed orchard growth and fruit development on the Big Island. Orchards in the Puna district remained in fair to good condition. New seedlings established quickly with the high rainfall. Active flowering was evident in most fields, but the heavy rains made fieldwork difficult. Spraying will have to be maintained once the weather clears. Orchards on Oahu were in fair to poor condition. Spraying to control disease and insect infestations remained steady. Kauai?s orchards made fair progress during the week. Acreage for harvest is relatively small, and overall pickings are forecast to remain light. Spraying for disease control was delayed because of inclement weather conditions.

Vegetables
Continue reading ‘Hawaii Crop Weather Weekly Report’

California Co. buys Hawaii papaya operations | starbulletin.com | Business | /2008/05/21/

Published on January 9, 2008 in General Ag News and Notes, Pineapple and Vegtables.

 

Calavo Growers is buying Hawaii Pride and Hawaiian Sweet

By Nina Wu
nwu@starbulletin.com

Calavo Growers of California has acquired papaya and tropical-product packing and processing operations on the Big Island for between $10 million and $14 million.

Calavo Growers is buying Hawaiian Sweet Inc. and Hawaii Pride LLC from Calavo’s chairman, president and CEO Lee E. Cole.

The deal gives Calavo operations that pack an estimated 65 to 70 percent of all Hawaiian-grown papayas and 80 percent of Hawaii’s exports to the mainland.

Calavo, which got its start in avocados, also acquired 3,000 acres on the Big Island, in addition to two fresh-papaya packinghouses and cooling facilities, and papaya and guava puree operations.

The acquisition comes on the heels of Calavo’s deal with Maui Pineapple Company Ltd. to sell, market and distribute its Maui Gold fresh product throughout the continental U.S. and Canada in December.

Calavo, which presently ships about 200,000 pounds of fresh papayas to the mainland per week, believes there is plenty of room for growth. Since 1949, the company has sold and marketed Hawaiian papayas, which continued after Cole’s acquisition of Hawaiian Sweet in the early 1990s.

"Calavo transitions from simply being paid a commission on its papaya sales to collecting full margin based on its ownership of the papaya and tropical-product operations," said Calavo chief operating officer Arthur J. Bruno. "We are confident that our company’s depth of financial and operational resources, along with a growing position in the tropical-produce category, can propel these acquired assets to the next level."

Bruno said the company anticipates increasing the earnings of both Hawaiian Sweet and Hawaiian Pride, including more than $8 million in tangible assets from the collective packing and processing facilities and agricultural land, he said

California Co. buys Hawaii papaya operations | starbulletin.com | Business | /2008/05/21/

Calavo Growers, Inc. Comments on the Significance of Maui Pineapple Company Ltd. Distribution Agreement – Business News – redOrbit

Published on November 7, 2007 in General Ag News and Notes.

 

Calavo Growers, Inc. (Nasdaq:CVGW), a worldwide leader in packing and distributing of fresh and processed avocados and other perishable food products, today commented on the strategic benefits it anticipates from the addition of Maui Gold® pineapples to its distribution system.

On Nov. 2, 2007, Maui Land and Pineapple Co. (AMEX:MLP) announced that its agricultural subsidiary, Maui Pineapple Company Ltd., entered into an agreement with Calavo. Under terms of that agreement, beginning Dec. 1, 2007, Calavo will sell, market and distribute Maui Pineapple Company’s Maui Gold fresh product throughout the continental United States and Canada.

The following is a statement from Calavo Chairman, President and CEO Lee E. Cole on the favorable implications of the agreement for the company:

"Our agreement with Maui Pineapple Company is significant on many levels–strategic, operational and financial.

"First, we anticipate that sales of Maui Gold fresh pineapples will contribute $25-30 million in revenues to Calavo’s top line in fiscal 2008, as well as become immediately accretive to earnings.

"Second, the addition of Maui Gold pineapples to our fresh-product lineup is a strong, natural complement to Calavo’s market leadership in Hawaiian-grown Kapoho Solo papayas. In addition, we sell a range of other tropical-produce offerings from the islands. I am confident to say that, through this significant expansion into the pineapple category, Calavo will immediately become the largest distributor and marketer of fresh commodity produce grown in Hawaii, and am duly proud of the company’s economic contribution to the islands.

Calavo Growers, Inc. Comments on the Significance of Maui Pineapple Company Ltd. Distribution Agreement – Business News – redOrbit

Hawaii Crop Weather Weekly Report

Published on October 30, 2007 in Banana, General Ag News and Notes, Papaya and Vegtables.

Here is the PDF file for the Hawaii Crop Weather (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending October 28, 2007.

current_hi102808.pdf

Please visit the website for more information: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/

USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
Steady rain later in the week saturated most fields in windward areas of the Big Island. Most orchards were in good condition, and field work was only slightly hampered by the wet conditions. Banana Bunchy Top virus incidence remained isolated to the Puna and Kona areas. Oahu orchards were in good to fair condition. Leeward and central orchards were in good condition. Moderate to heavy irrigation levels prevailed as showers were not enough for irrigation. However, overcast conditions decreased the plant?s water needs. Windward Oahu fields were in fair to good condition with light supplies. Overall harvesting on Oahu was expected to be at moderate to heavy levels as the shorter day length and slightly cooler temperatures have slowed ripening. Kauai?s orchards were in fair to good condition. Overcast skies and cooler temperatures slowed fruit ripening slightly.

Papayas
On Oahu, fruit development and ripening were fair to good. Overcast skies and shorter day length were affecting the crop. Orchards on Kauai made fair to good progress during the week. Pickings continued at moderate to light levels from several fields in active harvest. Big Island orchards were in fair to good condition. Soil moisture was high due to almost daily rainfall in the Puna area. Young orchards continued to develop, and seedlings were growing rapidly. Flowering was continuous. Virus problems still plagued selected fields in Puna and some heavily infested areas appeared to be abandoned.

Vegetables

Chinese Cabbage
On the Big Island, weeds were still competing with the crop in selected fields. Planting and field activities were steady. Heavy irrigation was needed to maintain crop progress. Overall, the Big Island crop was in fair to good condition.

Head Cabbage
On Oahu, harvesting is anticipated to be light. Insect infestation was light with regular spraying keeping good controls. On the Big Island, weed growth was still competing with the crop in selected fields. Planting and field activities were steady. Heavy irrigation was needed to maintain crop progress. Overall, the Big Island crop was in fair to good condition.

Sweet Corn
Windward and central Oahu fields continued to make good progress under fair weather conditions and heavy irrigation. Production is forecast to be at moderate to heavy levels for the upcoming week. Corn plantings in windward areas of the Big Island received a boost in growth when relatively dry conditions were relieved by this week?s rain. The added soil moisture and mostly sunny days boosted growth of young seedlings. Harvesting was mostly for on-island sales.

Cucumbers
On Oahu, pressure from insect infestation was at light to moderate. Harvesting was active in several fields, and overall production levels are expected to be moderate to heavy.

Disaster Preparedness

Published on October 30, 2007 in Banana, Coffee, Disaster Preparedness, Flowers & Nursery, General Ag News and Notes, Ginger Root, Guava, Livestock, Macadamia Nuts, Mango, Orchids, Papaya, Persimmon, Pineapple, Pumkin, Seed Crops, Sugar Cane, Vegtables and Watermelon.

Disaster Preparedness
How Prepared is Your Farming Operation?

Maui Extension Office
Monday, November 26, 2007
11 am ? 1:30 pm

Natural disasters, such as droughts, floods, wild fires, hurricanes, pests, and diseases, can cause excessive economic damage to agricultural production. In addition to crop damage, disasters can also affect farm buildings, machinery, animals, irrigation, family members and employees. Disasters along with marketing difficulties can lead to serious downturns in your farm income.

How prepared are you? This workshop is designed to provide you with information on:
1) preparing your operation for a natural disaster and
2) available and affordable crop insurance programs that minimize risk associated with economic losses.
Note: Now that the “Adjusted Gross Revenue” (AGR) insurance is available for 2008, in effect all Hawaii crops can be insured to some degree ? not just bananas, coffee, papayas, macnuts & nursery.

Speakers:
? USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) administers and oversees farm commodity, credit, conservation, disaster and loan programs. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of the agricultural industry and to help farmers adjust production to meet demand.

? USDA Risk Management Agency Western Regional Office, Davis. USDA RMA helps producers manage their business risks through effective, market-based risk management solutions.

? John Nelson from the Western Center for Risk Management Education (Washington State University) on the new Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) Insurance.

? Dr. Mike Fanning, Executive Vice President, AgriLogic, is a specialist in Agri-Terroism, crop insurance, farm policy analysis, and individual farm risk management.

? Dr. Kent Fleming, an agricultural economist with the University of Hawaii’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR), is an Extension Farm Management Specialist with a focus on risk management education.

The workshop is FREE and lunch (sandwiches or bentos and drinks) will be provided. For more information, visit the website http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/agrisk/ You may also contact Kent Fleming @ 989-3416 or fleming@hawaii.edu or Jan McEwen @ 244-3242 or jmcewen@hawaii.edu

Please call the Maui Extension Office at 244-3242 by November 21, 2007 to register for this seminar.

Hawaii Crop Weather Weekly Report

Published on October 21, 2007 in Banana, Coffee, General Ag News and Notes, Pumkin, Sugar Cane and Vegtables.

Here is the PDF file for the Hawaii Crop Weather (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending October 21, 2007.

previous_hi102107.pdf

Please visit the website for more information: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/

USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
On the Big Island, warm temperatures kept harvesting fairly steady, but slightly cooler temperatures and shorter days should soon slow production. Banana Bunchy Top virus incidence remained isolated in the Puna and Kona areas. Oahu orchards were in good to fair condition. Leeward and central fields were in good condition with moderate to heavy supplies for the market. Heavy irrigation continued as most areas received little or no rain during the week. Windward Oahu fields were in fair to good condition with light supplies. Overall harvesting on Oahu is expected to be at moderate to heavy levels as the shorter day length and slightly cooler temperatures have slowed ripening. Kauai?s orchards were in fair to good condition. Passing showers provided favorable soil moisture for most orchards. Spraying for insect infestation was on a regular schedule.

Papayas
Big Island orchards were in fair to good condition. Soil moisture was maintained by light passing showers and some cloud cover during the week. Steady flowering was noticed. Recent spray activity has reduced weed growth in some orchards. Young orchards were progressing rapidly. Overall harvesting was at a moderate level on Oahu. Some orchards were being re-worked for future harvest after being damaged by a wildfire. In other areas, fruit development and ripening were fair to good with relief from the high temperatures favoring crop progress. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress during the week. Pickings continued at moderate to light levels from several fields in active harvest.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage
Some Big Island fields showed rapid weed growth competing with the crop, but overall crop conditions were fair to good. Planting has been steady during the week Heavy irrigation was needed to maintain progress. Maui?s crop continued to make steady progress and was in good condition. Quality was reportedly good. Insect pressure remained relatively low and damage by insects was under control with timely spraying. Growth and development slowed, but production was being adjusted to stabilize a consistent supply into the marketplace. On Oahu, harvesting will be light. Insect infestation was light with regular spraying keeping populations under control.

Sweet corn
Harvesting from Oahu fields is expected to be at moderate to heavy levels as several fields were in active harvest. Pressure from insect infestation was at light to moderate levels.

Other Crops

Coffee
The coffee crop in the Ka`u District of the Big Island was progressing well, and harvesting was active in most orchards. Regular moisture over the slopes benefited bean development. Outlook for the crop was generally good. There have been reports of a later than normal season. Kauai?s orchards were in good condition due to favorable weather during the week. Mostly sunny days prevailed with beneficial rains which kept the reservoirs supplied for irrigation. Overall soil moisture was good and helped to ensure normal crop development. Coffee harvesting has also started on Molokai where fields have been rejuvenated.

Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkins
Active harvesting of pumpkins and gourds continued on Oahu as Halloween nears. Sunny and dry conditions allowed the crop to make good progress with good fruit set and sizing.

Sugarcane
On Kauai, harvesting has ended for the season. Planting activities are expected to continue for several more weeks. Favorable weather conditions, including rain at the upper elevations, kept reservoir levels and ditches supplied which allowed for adequate irrigation for good crop progress. Steady harvesting continued on Maui. Generally dry weather in the Central areas aided harvesting activities.

Hawaii Crop Weather Weekly Report

Published on October 14, 2007 in General Ag News and Notes.

Here is the PDF file for the Hawaii Crop Weather (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending October 14, 2007.

current_hi101407.pdf

Please visit the website for more information: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/

USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
Big Island orchards were in generally good condition. Soil moisture was adequate. Field activities such as spraying for disease control, leaf trimming, and harvesting were on-going in Pepeekeo and Keaau. Leeward and central fields on Oahu were in good condition with moderate to heavy supplies for the market. Heavy irrigation continued as those fields remained dry. Windward fields were in fair to good condition with light supplies. Overall harvesting on Oahu was expected to be at moderate to heavy levels as the shorter day length and slightly cooler temperatures have slowed ripening. Kauai?s orchards were in fair to good condition. Passing showers provided some valuable soil moisture for most orchards. Spraying for insect infestation was on a regular schedule.

Papayas
Big Island orchards in the lower Puna area were in good to fair condition. Good soil moisture and sunny periods benefited most of the young and new orchards. Young trees in the Pohoiki area were in the seedling to first flower stage of development. Mature trees in adjacent fields had medium to full fruit columns. Mature trees in the lower Opihikao area were in generally good condition with full fruit columns. Isolated orchards in the area had young trees with heavy insect infestation. Spraying for insect control was required. Spraying for weed control was also required in some fields. On Oahu, overall harvesting was at moderate levels with some orchards being reworked for future harvest after being damaged by a wildfire. In other areas of the island, fruit development and ripening were fair to good with cooler temperatures favoring crop progress. Orchards on Kauai continued to make fair to good progress during the week. Pickings continued at moderate to light levels from several fields in active harvest.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage
The Big Island?s Waimea crop was in fair to good condition. Heavy irrigation maintained normal crop progress. Maui?s crop continued to benefit from the cooling growing conditions, even though there has been some noticeable decrease in growth and development for most fields. Insect pressure was moderate to low. Steady planting and harvesting was observed. Overall, the crop was in mostly good condition. On Oahu, insect infestations were light and being controlled by regular spraying. Harvesting will be light.

Sweet corn
Big Hawaii fields made good progress due to sunny weather and beneficial showers providing adequate moisture. Supplies will be for local sales. Windward and central Oahu fields continued to make good progress with the sunny and dry weather during the week along with heavy irrigation. Areas affected by water use restrictions have cut back on planting activities and have experienced decreased yields. Overall supplies will be moderate to heavy.

Dry onion
Maui?s crop made steady progress. Growth and development were good with less heat stress than the previous months. Insect pressure was still present in most fields, but the crop was not adversely affected and rated in fair condition. Planting activity slowed slightly.

Other Crops

Coffee
Kauai?s fields were in good condition due to favorable weather during the week. Mostly sunny days prevailed with beneficial rains keeping the reservoirs supplied for irrigation and providing soil moisture good that ensured normal crop development. Occasional breezy trade winds and rains caused light fruit drop, however, harvesting continued very active with about a month left to the season.

Sugarcane
Sugarcane fields on Kauai were in very good condition for the last week of this season?s harvest. Planting was expected to continue until the end of the year. Favorable weather conditions including rains at the upper elevations kept reservoir levels and ditches supplied which ensured adequate irrigation for good crop progress.

Hawaii Crop Weather Weekly Report

Published on September 30, 2007 in Banana, Coffee, General Ag News and Notes and Vegtables.

Here is the PDF file for the Hawaii Crop Weather (crop progress and condition) Report for the week ending September 30, 2007.
Please visit the website for more information: http://www.nass.usda.gov/hi/

current_hi093007.pdf

USDA NASS Hawaii Field Office
1421 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814-2512
1-800- 804-9514

Agricultural Highlights

Fruits

Bananas
Light showers and some sunny periods benefited orchards in the windward areas of the Big Island. Soil moisture was ample and harvesting was active. Oahu orchards were in fair to good condition. Leeward and central Oahu fields were in good condition with heavy to moderate supplies for the market. Heavy irrigation continued as fields remained dry. Windward Oahu fields were in fair to good condition with light to moderate supplies. Overall harvesting on Oahu was expected to be at moderate to heavy levels as the shorter day length and slightly cooler temperatures have slowed ripening. Orchards were in fair to good condition on Kauai. Supplies are expected to be light to moderate, but steady, for on island sales. Spraying for insect infestation was on a regular schedule.

Papayas
Good growing conditions benefited orchard development in the lower Puna areas of the Big Island. Frequent passing showers kept soil moisture adequate. Growers were spraying to try to keep weeds under control. Harvesting in the Opihikao, Pohoiki, and Kapoho areas remained active. Fallowed fields in the Kapoho area were cleared and planting has started. Overall harvesting on Oahu was at moderate levels with some orchards being re-worked for future harvest after being damaged by a wildfire. In other areas, fruit development and ripening were fair to good with the relief from the high temperatures favoring crop progress. Orchards on Kauai continued to make good to fair progress during the week. Pickings were at moderate levels from several fields in harvest with some new fields boosting available supplies.

Vegetables

Head Cabbage
The crop in the Waimea area of Hawaii Island was in fair to good condition. Medium-sized heads were being harvested. Insect and disease damages were generally light. Heavy irrigation was required in the Waimea fields. Growing conditions improved slightly in the Volcano area. Maui?s crop continued to show good progress. However, most fields showed slightly slowed growth and development which was expected for this time of the year. Insect pressure was relatively low, but could increase over the next couple of weeks. Producers were able to control damage and keep losses to a minimum. Plantings have been steady, but the continued shortening of the day length has slowed the rate of growth and development. Overall quality of the crop was good. On Oahu, pressure from Insect infestation was very light.

Cucumbers
Harvesting from Oahu fields was expected to be at heavy levels as several fields were in active harvest. Pressure from insect infestation was light to moderate.

Sweet corn
The Big Island crop was in fair to good condition. Soil moisture was adequate and production will be mainly for on-island consumption. Windward and central Oahu fields continued to make good progress due to sunny skies and heavy irrigation. Areas affected by water use restrictions have cut back on planting activities and have experienced decreased yields.

Dry onion
Maui?s younger fields showed good progress under cooler growing conditions. There were reports of increased insect pressure throughout the growing area which could affect production for older developing fields. Producers were trying to control insect pressure, but it has been challenging. Harvesting has been light. Overall, the dry onion crop was in fair condition. Other Crops

Coffee
Coffee orchards in the upper areas of Kona were in fair to good condition. Soil moisture was adequate. Cherry harvest was in progress. Most of the coffee trees in the Ka?u district have branches full of still green cherries. Harvesting is expected to begin soon. Orchards on Kauai were in good condition with active harvesting anticipated to continue. Sunny days and moderate trade winds kept fields in good condition for harvesting. Beneficial rains in the upper elevations increased the water levels of reservoirs used for irrigation.

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